TFTQG: And the World Turns
by wompratblaster
Summary: Alternate universe, decades after Endor, a new Imperial faction has fled through a wormhole into another galaxy, conquering planet after planet. Eldanna is next. Told from both Imperial and Eldannan perspectives. Not even close to complete.
1. Arrival

_This is the second installment in my "Tales From the Quarbec Galaxy" series. The characters and locales are of my own invention (although, many of their names are stolen from other sources), but the tech and backdrop are certainly Star Wars. The series takes place more than 70 years after the Battle of Endor. The New Republic fell to rival Imperial factions, propelling the galaxy into another bloody civil war. Upon the discovery of a wormhole that led to another galaxy ripe for the picking, the lesser of the forces fled in hopes of starting anew. In a galaxy technologically inferior to the Imperial war machine, their expansion was swift.

* * *

_

**And the World Turns**

**Chapter 1: Arrival**

_Eldanna, Four years after crossing through the wormhole…_

Riarri walked alongside her brother down the narrow streets towards the bustling market. Their father was a vendor of fruit his uncle grew in the countryside. It was a meager business, dieing slowly in the wake of the burgeoning industry that consumed Eldanna. Still, it kept them fed and clothed, even if it was only barely. Pulling her shawl tighter around her shoulders as though it were a piece of armor, Riarri struggled to keep up with her brother as he plowed through the bustling crowd. "Wait for me, Aedin, you oaf!"

He merely glanced over his shoulder and called back to her, "Watch your language, little sister. Mother wouldn't approve of such talk. Besides, Mother told us to hurry and tell Father the good news." Riarri scowled and doubled her pace. She knew her father would not be please at all by Aedin's "good news".

They finally broke out into the open square at the center of the city where merchants of all things shouted enticing offers to potential buyers and customers returned with their own loud retorts. Riarri's father had a booth in a far corner, hidden in the shadow of a tall building. As they approached, they saw he was arguing with a man holding a damaged piece of produce. Riarri only got close enough in time to hear the end of the spat.

"You're a villain if you think I'm paying that much for such a measly melon!" shouted the enraged man.

Riarri's father growled back in a deep voice that belied his small stature. "I charge 10 sterlings for each melon, regardless of size. They're all good produce. You dropped it, you buy it."

Rather than responding, the man simply dropped the melon and turned to walk away. He barely took a step before bumping into a considerably larger man standing in his path. In a voice even deeper than Riarri's father, he said to the smaller man, "You're paying Kolan for the fruit."

Startled and intimidated, he glanced down at the melon and said to Kolan, "Six sterlings."

Outraged, Kolan slammed a fist down. "Ten sterlings! That's the price of the melon!"

Now visibly shaking, the small man glanced up at the towering menace blocking his escape. "Eight sterlings. That's as high as I'll go."

"I said ten sterlings!"

The large man spoke up. "Take the eight sterlings, Kolan."

Startled by the interruption, Kolan stopped to think. Finally, he stretched an open hand out towards the man. "Eight sterlings." The man quickly pulled the coins from a pouch on his belt and dropped them in Kolan's hand before dashing around his former impediment. Staring at the money in his palm, Kolan slowly spoke to the large man. "You shouldn't have gotten involved, Jed. I had it under control."

"Of course you did. That's why he was walking away when I showed up." Leaning on one hand against the table, Jed looked intently at his friend. "You must learn to loosen up a little. Your stubbornness will be your undoing."

"Perhaps." The merchant finally looked up and noticed his children watching from a safe distance. "Aedin, Riarri; what are you doing out here? The market is dangerous for the young and inexperienced."

Aedin stepped forward, followed closely by his sister. "Mother sent me to tell you the good news," he explained nervously. "She said I shouldn't wait until supper to tell you."

Kolan glanced at his friend then turned back to his son with a curious expression. "Well, go on and tell me. What good news?"

Glancing down and shuffling his feet for a moment, Aedin finally spoke up. "Mother says she spoke with Mr. Geyji this morning. He offered to give me a job." He looked away, not wishing to meet his father's gaze.

His fear was well founded, as even Jed glanced away as the scowl tore at Kolan's mouth. Speaking through clenched teeth, he managed to quietly ask, "Mr. Geyji runs a factory, does he not? A metal-working factory, if I'm not mistaken."

Staring at his feet as though he could find the words he sought on them, Aedin barely squeaked out a response. "Yes, father. I've heard he pays well, and Mother says he would find a safe job for me to do."

The merchant snorted in disgust. "A safe job in a factory only costs you your arm. There is no way I'm letting my son wager his life on some old miser's supposed generosity. You're too young to put yourself in that kind of danger."

Aedin finally met his father's glare. "Father, we need the money. Your sales have been getting worse and worse—"

Kolan slammed his fist on the table, knocking several pieces of fruit over the sides. "I said no! You will not work in any factory until I say you are old enough!" The children stared at their feet again, realizing Aedin's defeat. "I don't want to hear anymore of this nonsense. It's getting late. Go home and help your mother prepare supper." Across the square, a crarkus beast bellowed, as if to punctuate Kolan's decree.

Jed watched as Riarri and Aedin slowly plodded back down the path home before turning back to his friend. "You shouldn't have been so harsh on the boy. He only wants to help."

Kolan grunted and began picking up his spilled merchandise. "He's misguided, like the rest of his generation. Someone has to knock some sense into him." He looked at the larger man as he stood up. "Believe me, I hate yelling at him, but he needs a firm hand to guide him along the right path."

A small breeze cooled the square for a moment before dieing again. Jed tapped his fingertips lightly on the table and took a deep breath before responding. "Kolan, times are changing. When we were young lads, families grew up and died on their father's farm, tending it until their last breath. Now that these factories have taken over, they're just about the only jobs our young folk can find. It's not misguided; it's the future. It won't be long until the next big event sweeps the world off its feet."

* * *

The _Dominator_ dropped out of hyperspace at the edge of the Eldanna system. The triangular vessel cut through the black of space like a vibroblade through cloth. Tanik Olum was one of the few enlisted men lucky enough to get quarters with a view. Through the small viewport in his quarters, he saw the first of the system's four planets pass by. The world they were to land on was the second from the sun and had a budding civilization already wasting valuable resources. The Empire was in dire need of raw materials for its expansion. Warships had to be built to protect Imperial acquisitions and weapons to arm the troops occupying the myriad worlds under their care. 

Tanik looked at the datapad in his hand. It displayed the mission briefing for his battalion, including all available information on the native inhabitants. They were strangely human-like in appearance, with the only real distinctions being their slightly smaller size and dark splotches running around the backs of their necks and up to their cheekbones. The Eldannans were fairly primitive, using simple weapons based on explosive powder throwing slugs at their foe. Even their "heavy weaponry" was designed around this concept. They still used beasts of burden for transportation and labor too intensive to accomplish by hand.

However, they seemed at a crossroads in their development. Factories dotted Eldanna, sending billowing clouds of smoke into the once pristine skies. Urban centers were few and far enough apart so that the pollution did not decimate the entire world, only a few kilometers around each city. The countryside in between was lush and beautiful, sprawling with farms and meadows. Most of the population appeared to reside in the cities, presumably working in the factories. Under these circumstances, it would not be difficult to contain resistance.

The operation outlined was like all the others Tanik had participated in. An envoy with stormtrooper escort would shuttle down to the planet, demand immediate capitulation, and an occupation force would descend to begin assimilating the world's assets. Any resistance would be duly crushed and curfews would be enforced.

Tossing the datapad aside, Tanik dropped back onto his bed and shut his eyes. He grew tired of these routine invasions. Barely a moment later, the door to his quarters slid open and his bunk mate walked in. "Rise and shine, sleepy head," teased Kit as he sat heavily beside Tanik. "It's almost time to embark on another glorious adventure in the name of the Empire. You wouldn't want to sleep through that, would you?"

Fighting the urge to kick his friend across the small room, Tanik merely groaned and sat up. "Yes, another exciting five months of patrols and babysitting," he said dryly. "I can't wait." He glanced out the viewport in time to see the second planet in their path vanish from sight. They would arrive at Eldanna and assume a high orbit in a matter of minutes.

"Your sarcasm is greatly appreciated, but it won't get you out of it. Besides, I bet there will be some real action this time." Kit nudged Tanik, trying to evoke some sort of positive response, but only got a roll of the eyes. "Oh come on, surely they're going to put up some sort of fight," he pleaded. "They're not as primitive as those people on Hamunaptra were, so they probably won't throw down their weapons at the first sight of a flying machine. Even those lizards on Horus put up a nasty fight, from what I heard, and they weren't even out of the Stone Age!"

Placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, Tanik mockingly responded, "Kit, your enthusiasm is greatly appreciated, but I think it's misplaced. Do you really want a fight? It wouldn't even be a fight, it would be a slaughter. If we're going to see some action, I'd like it to be a real challenge." He paused long enough to sigh and glance out the viewport again. Eldanna was now growing visibly larger. "We have these people out gunned and out matched. The only advantages they have are home turf and numbers. I'd rather they just give in early and spare us all the trouble of killing them."

Between their bunks, the chrono blared a harsh alarm, eliciting a violent slap at the off switch from Tanik. Kit energetically jumped off the bed and bounced to the door. "Looks like you're done with philosophy for now. Come one, there's supposed to be some big announcement before we go landside."

Lethargically, Tanik heaved himself up and followed his friend into the corridor. As they walked, he began to worry. Not so much for himself or his comrades, but for the Eldannans; they had so much more to lose. If they surrendered without fighting, they could peaceably endure the transition, but Tanik feared his friend was correct. To defy the Empire was to sign one's own death warrant. No person, no planet, no race could withstand its fury.

* * *

Riarri woke to the muffled sound of voices in the next room. Blinking her eyes a few times, what shapes she could make out in the darkness came into focus. Her brother slept soundly, unaware of their parents quarrelling. Riarri listened intently for a few minutes, but became frustrated at not being able to make anything out. She slowly crept out of her bed and stalked to her door as quietly as possible. With her ear pressed against the door, she could hear most of what her parents said. 

"Are you trying to kill our son?" Riarri could hear the constrained anger in her father's voice. Kolan was struggling to control the volume of his voice and barely succeeding.

"I'm trying to keep all of us fed!" Her mother's voice was much softer, yet still had an edge to it.

"So send Aedin into a deathtrap? Why don't we just feed him to a pack of hungry beasts?"

"How would you know how dangerous it is? You've never stepped foot in a factory."

"I don't have to; I have enough friends with dead or maimed children to know."

"Fine. Aedin will find some other way to help out."

Kolan's voice changed to a more pleading tone. "I've spent the last twelve years raising that boy. I can't risk his life to make our lives easier."

For almost a minute, Riarri's mother said nothing in return. When she did speak, it was low and harsh. "Do you think I don't worry about him working in a factory? I'm his mother; all I do is worry about him, but we can't let that fear paralyze us. Aedin is old enough to work on his own and help us endure these hard times. More importantly, he _wants _to help."

After taking a moment to think, Kolan asked, "What about you? What if something happens to you while he's away?"

"What about it? If I get hurt, Riarri can fetch help."

"She's too young to be on the streets alone."

"She's almost nine years old, Kolan. My mother was sending me on errands throughout the city when I was seven."

"That was different. People were more honest when we were young. Too much has changed for the worst."

"Times haven't changed as much as you say they have. The only thing that has really changed is your perception."

After another long pause, Riarri's father finally responded. "I'll think about it." Her mother said something too low to make out and she heard them walk away. Riarri waited to see if they would return, but pulled her ear away from the wood of the door after several minutes of silence.


	2. Landfall

**And the World Turns**

**Chapter 2: Landfall**

A thick crowd mulled about the market, writhing and flowing as the people moved from booth to booth. Shoulders bumped with each step one took through the confusing labyrinth. The aroma of sweet perfumes and stench of livestock intermingled, creating a curious odor that could be found nowhere else. The shouts of merchants and buyers alike blended into a continuous roar, making quiet conversation an impossibility. The sun beat down on the throng, sending many in seek of shade. A few tall buildings lined the perimeter of the market, the steeple of Parliament towering above the rest. Despite being separated from the square by a large courtyard, the turret thrust its shadow further into the market than any other building. The clock bells in the top of the spire rang out, signaling the arrival of noon and drawing glances towards the clock face.

Riarri found herself marveling at the intricacy in the design of the clock. Although she could not tell time, she was trying to teach herself. She knew that the closer the smaller hand was to the top, the closer it was to noon. Try as she might, Riarri could not figure out what the larger hand's purpose was. She had asked her mother, who simply told her that ladies did not concern themselves with such things. Her father had told her much the same thing. Riarri noticed, however, that both of her parents paused before answering. Perhaps even they did not know what the big hand meant.

Her mother's hand on her shoulder shook Riarri from her pondering. She smiled and looked up at her mother's face as she spoke. "Come, little one. We still have much to do today." Her voice was soft and gentle, almost swallowed by the cacophony of the crowd. She carried a basket with fruits, vegetables, and baked goods under her left arm and took Riarri's hand in her right. They made their way to another booth, where her mother began bartering with the vendor over a small vial of sugar. Riarri grinned as the two adults exchanged offers. Her mother was more than adept at haggling; she had a sharp wit and quick mind that few could match.

The process dragged on, and Riarri found her mind wandering once again. Her eyes drifted over the market, taking in the myriad sights. An overly animated merchant waved his arms wildly as he pitched his exotic birds to potential customers passing by. A wooly crarkus beast lumbered by with baskets slung over each flank. A pair of small birds sat on the corner of a building, chirping and fluttering their wings. Riarri watched them leap from their perch and fly away from the mass of people.

Then, something caught her eye. She noticed a dark speck amongst the white clouds, a single spot tainting their purity. For a while, it appeared unmoving amongst the expanse of the sky. Riarri soon realized it was slowly growing larger. As it came closer, she could make out what appeared to be wings, two lines slanted downward from the body, but they didn't flap like those of a bird. She noticed a third line sprouting straight up from its back. Her curiosity quickly turned into cold fear. Riarri gripped her mother's dress tightly as the thing drew ever closer.

A low roaring sound mingled with a slight whine slowly overcame the crowd's collective voice. People began taking notice and turned their eyes skyward. Suddenly, a hush fell over them, broken only by the roaring of the thing. In a heartbeat, it was above the city. The mass of people suddenly erupted into chaos as everyone sought shelter. Riarri's mother merely clung to her daughter and watched with dread as the object slowed over the market. A gust of wind tore through the square, stirring up a cloud of dust.

The wind ebbed as the thing hovered over the courtyard before Parliament. It slowly settled down and rested upon the ground. Its roaring wail died and everything was silent. Cautious eyes peered through windows, from doorways, and from behind overturned tables, watching and waiting for something to happen. Slowly, the crowd began to file back out into the open. They warily stalked towards it, shoulder to shoulder. Riarri and her mother found themselves being pushed towards the object.

Guards poured out of Parliament, rifles at the ready, and formed a defensive line in front of the thing. The mob slowly encircled it. Riarri studied its form, wondering how it flew. Its two lower wings had folded up to stand beside the middle one. It appeared to have an angular head, sloping down from the front of its flat, rectangular body. Two feet balanced its weight on either side.

Members of Parliament and the chancellor himself filed out of the building and watched quietly from behind the soldiers. People began muttering and whispering amongst themselves, contemplating what it was and where it came from. Their conversation was halted by a sharp hiss. Steam spouted from beneath its head and its chin lowered to reveal an opening into the body of the object. A dreadful hush fell over the crowd. Riarri's mother pulled her closer.

From within the dark interior, eight gargantuan men encased in white shells and wielding what appeared to be guns marched out in two lines. The Parliament guards brought their rifles to bear, but held their fire as the men stopped. Without a word being spoken, the two lines turned on their heels away from each other, took three steps, and spun back around to face one another, standing motionless. The silence was again broken by the clicking of boots. Another tall man clad in grey stepped out of the body of the thing, followed by a shorter companion with metallic skin and tubes and wires apparent at his joints. The duo stopped just past their soldiers. The man in the grey wore two rows of red and blue squares on the left breast of his crisp tunic. A small, metallic emblem adorned his cap. Riarri couldn't help but wonder what their significance was.

No one spoke as they watched the strange men. The tension quickly became thick and suffocating. Finally, the man in grey began speaking in a strange tongue, further baffling his already confused audience. When he stopped, the metallic man spoke in a harsh, mechanical voice that made Riarri cringe. "We wish to speak to your chancellor." He had said it in their own tongue, dumbfounding the crowd.

The chancellor warily stepped past the guards and presented himself to the strangers. In a shaky voice, he managed to introduce himself. "I am Chancellor Fentin Caddami. I preside over Pendallia, the greatest nation on Eldanna. What is it you have come for?" As he spoke, the metallic man quietly chattered in the strange tongue to the man in grey.

Turning back towards the chancellor, the metallic man responded, "I am C-8MO. I specialize in inter-species relations and diplomacy. This is Captain Jerod Warren of the Imperial Star Ship _Dominator_. I shall be your translator."

Bewildered, the crowd began muttering. The chancellor turned to look at his aides in the hope of finding an explanation. He faced Captain Warren again and asked, "Where do you come from?"

The metal man translated the chancellor's words and the captain's subsequent reply. "We are from beyond the stars. Our civilization has expanded throughout space, controlling many worlds. We come to you with the offer of Imperial protection."

Struggling to comprehend the metal man's message, the crowd burst into an uproar. Riarri was becoming very frightened. The chancellor quelled the noise and looked at the man in grey. "What does this offer mean?"

"Your people would be subjects of the Empire. Eldanna will provide raw resources for the Empire, as well as a small number of conscripts. In return, the Empire will advance your civilization thousands of years ahead. We have technology you cannot imagine. We can feed your hungry and heal your sick with ease."

After thinking for a moment, the chancellor slowly replied. "We would be subservient to your Empire?"

"Yes. Your loyalty will be repaid in aid and military protection."

"Protection against our enemies?"

"Not the enemies you know. Your world shall be united as one state under the Empire. There are many hostile forces that lie in wait behind the stars." Fear and dread washed over the spectators, spurring another outburst.

Chancellor Caddami audibly shushed the onlookers. He straightened his back and struck a proud pose as though he were trying in vain to match the captain's height. Letting the silence fill the air with suspense for a moment, the chancellor sharply said, "We do not wish to subject ourselves to the rule of this Empire of yours. Pendallia has always been and always will be a free nation." His words were cut short by an uproar of applause and cheers. Their fear had been replaced by newfound patriotism. Riarri's mother clutched her daughter's shoulders tightly. The young girl looked up to see a sorrowful expression on her mother's face that contrasted the proud elation the mob expressed.

* * *

Despite the roaring of the Eldannans, Tanik's pulse pounded louder in his ears. When he had first been told his squad would escort the captain to meet with the leaders of the largest nation on Eldanna, he had felt honored. Now, with thousands of shouting Eldannans caught up in a flurry of nationalistic zeal, he realized how easily the primitive folk could tire of their presence and decide to rid themselves of the invaders. If they chose to dispatch Tanik and his squad mates, they could only react as quickly as the protocol droid translated the command. 

In the back of his mind, another fear grew. The chancellor's refusal meant that Eldannan people would die, and a great number of them. Captain Warren was ruthless when defied. Tanik did not look forward to receiving the order to kill helpless people. He held onto the hope that the Eldannans would quickly reevaluate their decision when the destruction began raining down upon them.

From somewhere within the crowd, several men began singing a fast paced song. Soon, the entire mob had become a chorus, singing and jeering at the envoy. The song continued for a couple minutes before Tanik noticed the captain shift his stance and shake his head in irritation. The song reached a crescendo just before Captain Warren stamped his foot down in disgust. "Silence!" The startled crowd complied before C-8MO could translate the outburst. Tanik saw fear wash over the faces of the Eldannans as they quietly watched the captain glare at their chancellor. No one dared move, for fear of bringing those icy eyes upon themselves.

Once the anxiety had built to an almost suffocating level, Captain Warren slowly spoke in a low growl. "You have made a grievous mistake. The Empire does not hand out second chances. Your arrogance will cost you in blood." Without waiting for C-8MO to translate his decree, the captain spun on his heel and stalked into the shuttle. The protocol droid quickly waddled up the ramp. Tanik used his tongue to click the comlink built into his helmet to signal his squad to return to the shuttle in formation. He could feel his heart thumping in his chest.

* * *

The object shot skyward, leaving the people gathered in the Parliament courtyard frightened. The few who spoke did so in whispers. Most exchanged worried glances and shifted uncomfortably. Slowly, the crowd began to disperse. 

Trembling in terror, Riarri clutched her mother's dress tightly. She felt her mother's hands gently touch her back and caress her head. She knelt before her daughter and placed her hands on the girl's frail shoulders. Riarri's eyes began to swell with tears, her throat aching as she tried to fight the sobs. Unable to hold back, she threw her arms about her mother's neck and cried heavily into her shoulder. Fighting back tears of her own, Riarri's mother held her daughter tightly and soothingly shushed her. "Now, now, little one, there's nothing to worry about."

Her heaving sobs stopped and the little girl lifted her head to look into her mother's eyes. Riarri noticed the gleam of moisture collecting in the corners of her mother's eyes, but saw something deeper. A warm, calming feeling washed over her. She wiped her eyes and managed a small smile. Riarri kissed her mother's cheek and said, "I love you, mother."

"I love you too, darling." She kissed her daughter on the forehead and stood up, taking Riarri's hand in hers. Without speaking a word, they began down the street towards their home. As they made their way through the city, Riarri glanced up at her mother just as a single tear rolled down her cheek.


End file.
